Hi Jessica,
I'm sorry to hear that Nebber has tested positive, but happy you found us. I'm
also happy that you did not have Nebber put to sleep, which unfortunately, is
what a lot of vets recommend. It's possible you'll be able to pull Nebber
through this crisis, so don't give up and try to stay calm for his sake, so he
doesn't pick up on your stress.
You've got to get him eating. A jar or two of baby meat food per day is good.
A can of A/D, that you can only get from your vet is even better. Syringe feed
him if you need to, but do a little research on how to do it so you don't choke
him. We can also help you here if you have specific questions on that. This
is first and foremost Jessica. I can't stress it enough. If you can get him
eating again, then you will likely see him bounce back. I see it all the time
and I've seen it personally at my house more times than I can count. I just
pulled our Julie from a crash last month, and it was a really close one. Keep
him on the Clavamox too, as your vet prescribed. Food with antiobiotics is the
rule for animals and humans. They can irritate the stomach.
How do Nebber's gums look? Are they pink or pale/white? Are they moist or
sticky? Let us know. White gums = anemia. Sticky gums = dehydration.
Dehydration will make a cat feel horrible. Anemia makes kitty feel very
lethargic. If you have an HCT/PCV count for Nebber, please post it. Anemia is
extremely serious. It has to be treated asap.
Nebber may still seroconvert, which means to 'throw off' the FeLV virus, so
you'll need to retest in 3-6 months to see if he's negative. The big thing
right now though, is pulling him through his current illness. It could be as
simple as an infection. Or, as Tad said, he could have developed cancer. It
does happen. But, you don't know. A lot times, vets do the test, see the
FeLV+, and give up on the kitty. This is the worst thing they can do because
they still need to figure out what exactly is causing the kitty to be sick.
Kitties don't die from FeLV directly; FeLV compromises the immune system, just
like HIV, so kitties actually die from complications from FeLV, like anemia or
cancer. So you've got to find a vet that will support you in taking great care
of Nebber. Don't settle for one who feels like they're giving up or doesn't
want to bother. The fact that yours said to come back IN A COUPLE OF WEEKS
makes me want to scream. I would not
go back to that vet if my life depended on it. Find one that will give Nebber
the care he deserves. What tests, other than FeLV, did the vet do? What does
his bloodwork look like? Can you get a copy if they ran his bloodwork and post
the results here, specifically the HCT/PCV and white blood cell count? Also
BUN and Creatinine.
If you can pull Nebber through this, the two big things in keeping him healthy
and helping him to throw the virus are his diet and keeping him stress free.
Make sure he is getting a good, quality food (anything you can buy at Walmart
does not count nor does Science Diet, which is what I fed mine before I joined
this group; I feed mine Innova Evo now). Also, supplement his immune system by
giving him L-Lysine (without propylene glycol). Others here use a few other
supplements; you can repost and ask about those. And most importantly, Nebber
will have the upper hand by getting all the love that you will be giving him.
I think that goes a long way in keeping any cat healthy.
Please post any test results or other questions you may have. I really hope
Nebber pulls through this! It is possible, Jessica. And we're here to walk
you though this, so don't hesitate to ask for help.
:)
Wendy
Dallas, TX
"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful committed citizens can change the
world - indeed it is the only thing that ever has!" ~~~ Margaret Meade ~~~
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